Arabic version: أم تشارك التأثير المؤلم لقضية إساءة معاملة الأطفال في المحكمة

A mother has delivered a powerful statement in court regarding the sexual abuse of her child by Sydney childcare worker David William James. According to ABC News, James has pleaded guilty to 11 charges related to the creation and possession of child abuse material.

The mother expressed her profound guilt and fear after learning that her son had been placed in the care of James, who worked at six Sydney childcare centers. In her victim statement, she described the surreal experience of being asked by the Australian Federal Police to identify clothing items in photographs, recalling her horror and fear upon discovering the extent of James’s actions.

James was arrested in October 2024, with charges involving children aged five and six. The police identified 58 centers where he had worked from 2018 to 2024, with the offenses occurring at six specific facilities. The mother conveyed the lasting mental toll this has taken on her family, stating that she now lives in “constant fear” for her son’s safety.

During the court proceedings, the judge heard that the mother no longer trusts out-of-school services for her child, whom she described as an innocent boy deserving of safety. She expressed her ongoing torment and the weight of every decision regarding her child’s care, stating that she feels responsible for what has happened.

James’s defense counsel submitted a handwritten apology letter from him, which will be considered by the judge. He is scheduled to be sentenced in July, with the victim’s mother hoping this will bring her family “some small reprieve.” Currently, James remains in segregation in custody, spending 23 and a half hours each day in his cell.